Project Summary The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory?s (AHDL) objectives in participating in this project are to obtain the equipment, supplies, and personnel as well as the training in standardized testing methodologies to increase the AHDL?s testing capabilities in response to an event of a feed or drug adulteration. By participating in this program, the AHDL will improve the capabilities to function as a Vet-LIRN laboratory and to respond to potential emergency outbreaks or contaminated feed/drug incidents. The AHDL will also improve its ability to generate data for antimicrobial resistance studies in veterinary pathogens through increased submission of samples collected from dogs. In participating in the Vet-LIRN programs, the AHDL will be participating in sample analyses, methods development, animal food/drug defense assignments, bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility studies, training, and proficiency testing when available. The laboratory will provide surge capacity as needed by the Vet-LIRN/FDA in the event of a large-scale microbiological or chemical terrorism or natural pathogenic organism outbreak event affecting animal food or drug products. The AHDL will share results of method development, method validation and matrix extension studies with VPO and network laboratories as determined by the VPO. The AHDL will also provide bacterial isolates for antimicrobial susceptibility studies including sharing the susceptibility data and relevant metadata.